Unified communication audit tool

Abstract

Providing for dynamic auditing of components of a communication network is provided herein. By way of example, network components can be queried by way of dynamic and intelligent application programming interface (APIs) queries to extract data for the network components. Such data can then be compared with best practice rules to identify potential enhancements to efficiency or scalability of such components. In some aspects, an audit report can be output summarizing identified enhancements. In other aspects, data can be written to an updated component according to protocols suited to such component. Accordingly, an audit can provide feedback in light of best practices or can be utilized to dynamically upgrade a legacy system to newer system software and/or hardware components.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method comprising:
 querying a first portion of a first component of a telecommunication network; 
 extracting from the first portion, configuration information about a configuration of the first component; 
 selecting at least one best practice rule associated with the first component from a list of best practice rules associated with components of the telecommunication network; 
 comparing the extracted configuration information to the selected at least one best practice rule; and 
 generating a report indicating a result of the comparison. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the configuration of the first component based on the result of the comparison. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the best practice rule associated with the first component based on the result of the comparison. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the telecommunications network comprises a unified communications network. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first portion of the first component includes at least one of a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call management database, a voicemail database, or a voice gateway. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising querying a second portion of the first component based on information returned from the querying of the first portion of the first component. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein querying the first portion and the second portion uses at least one application programming interface (API) selected from a group consisting of structured query language (SQL), extensible markup language (XML), simple network management protocol (SNMP), simple object access protocol (SOAP), windows management instrumentation (WMI), and grand unified socket interface (GUST). 
     
     
       8. An apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface configured to enable to communicate with components of a telecommunications network; and 
 a processing unit configured to:
 direct a first query via the communication interface to a first portion of a first component of the telecommunication network; 
 extract from the first portion, configuration information about a configuration of the first component; 
 select at least one best practice rule associated with the first component from a list of best practice rules associated with components of the telecommunication network; 
 compare the extracted configuration information to the selected at least one best practice rule; and 
 generate a report indicating a result of the comparison. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to direct the first component, through the communication interface, to update the configuration of the first component based on the result of the comparison. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to update the best practice rule associated with the first component based on the result of the comparison. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the telecommunications network comprises a unified communications network. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein processor is configured to direct the first query to the first portion of the first component that includes at least one of a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call management database, a voicemail database, or a voice gateway. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to direct a second query to a second portion of the first component based on information returned from the querying of the first portion of the first component. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processing unit is configured to direct to the first query to the first portion and the second query to the second portion using at least one application programming interface (API) selected from a group consisting of structured query language (SQL), extensible markup language (XML), simple network management protocol (SNMP), simple object access protocol (SOAP), windows management instrumentation (WMI), and grand unified socket interface (GUST). 
     
     
       15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to cause a processor to:
 direct a first query to a first portion of a first component of the telecommunication network; 
 extract from the first portion, configuration information about a configuration of the first component; 
 select at least one best practice rule associated with the first component from a list of best practice rules associated with components of the telecommunication network; 
 compare the extracted configuration information to the selected at least one best practice rule; and 
 generate a report indicating a result of the comparison. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer readable storage media of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to direct the first component to update the configuration of the first component based on the result of the comparison. 
     
     
       17. The computer readable storage media of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to update the best practice rule associated with the first component based on the result of the comparison. 
     
     
       18. The computer readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the telecommunications network comprises a unified communications network, and further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to direct the first query to the first portion of the first component that includes at least one of a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call management database, a voicemail database, or a voice gateway. 
     
     
       19. The computer readable media of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to direct a second query to a second portion of the first component based on information returned from the querying of the first portion of the first component. 
     
     
       20. The computer readable media of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to direct the first query to the first portion and the second query to the second portion using at least one application programming interface (API) selected from a group consisting of structured query language (SQL), extensible markup language (XML), simple network management protocol (SNMP), simple object access protocol (SOAP), windows management instrumentation (WMI), and grand unified socket interface (GUST).